In-form Grant eyes new Burnley deal

Chris Boden

GOALKEEPER Lee Grant feels his performances will do the talking as he looks to earn a new contract.

Grant’s current deal runs out in the summer - along with the likes of Dean Marney, Ross Wallacem Chris McCann, Martin Paterson, Michael Duff, Brian Jensen and Kevin Long.

The former England Under 21 keeper is enjoying his best run of form for the side since arriving from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer of 2010, and, ahead of tonight’s trip to Barnsley, the 29-year-old spoke of his contract situation: “I’d be lying if I said it was something you don’t think about.

“Coming into the last year of your contract, obviously you have an eye on that.

“But it’s really not my role of my job to iron those things out.

“If I take care of what I do on the pitch and do that well, then what will be will be.

“Obviously the club has many different things to go on and lots of things to sort out and contracts will be one of those.

“When the time comes I’m sure there’ll be some dialogue.

“As to how that will pan out I’ve no idea.”

One thing is for sure, however, Grant is happy where he is, after establishing himself as number one at Turf Moor after a battle with Jensen: “I’m in the side and I’m enjoying playing.

“I feel like I’m playing to a good standard.

“The rest is up to the club.”

Asked whether he is producing the best form of his career, he admitted: “Certainly for Burnley.

“We’re 18 league games into the season now and I feel like there’s not been a lot wrong personally.

“It’s always nice to be in the side to start off with, but to maintain a really consistent level of performance of a good standard is nice, and I feel like I’ve managed to achieve that.”

Grant is expected to be between the sticks at Oakwell tonight, but one enforced change boss Sean Dyche will have to make is for midfielder Dean Marney.

Marney collected his fifth booking of the season in injury time in the 1-0 win at Hull City on Saturday - which came courtesy of his first half strike against his former club.

Dyche said, simply: “It’s a great opportunity for someone else.”

The candidates to fill Marney’s role include Marvin Bartley and the versatile David Edgar - who deputised for the suspended Kieran Trippier to good effect at right back at Hull.

Trippier returns at his former club tonight, but Edgar - who started in a midfield three against Wolves in Dyche’s first game in charge - could yet stay in the side.

Dyche said: “I lot of the stuff I talk about with the team is that respect element - Dean Marney had to fill in at right back last week and did terrifically.

“There’s a respect within the team that there are no question marks - we don’t do them.

“Whoever plays, we respect that, they do everything they can for the team, and we accept that.

“Yet again that was clear at Hull, no questioning who came in.

“So we’re building that squad mentality.

“You want that kind of versatility in players, and David has shown that again.”

The game also throws up an opportunity for Charlie Austin to add to his 20 goals so far this season, after three games without finding the net.

However, Austin gave arguably his best all-round display for the club at the KC Stadium, up against three centre backs for the first half, and had a hand in the winning goal, chesting down Jason Shackell’s header before sweeping the ball out to the right for Ross Wallace, who found Marney to score.

Dyche is delighted with what he is seeing: “Charlie’s working, we’re trying to adapt him and offer him things that will improve him further - not just goals - because we want him to continue his growth as a player.

“Three or four years ago he was playing non-league, so he’s learning more about the actual game, not just goalscoring, and he’s finding that delicate balance between letting him play freely to go and score, because we know he has goals in him, and adding into the general team game.

“He’s doing well, he’s a work in progress, as we all are.”

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